Downtown Walnut Creek
Sunday, April 19th, 2015 – Sunday, April 26th, 2015Walnut Creek Restaurant Week is a culinary celebration of spectacular cuisine at incredible prices. Entice your appetite and delight your palate with prix-fixe menus offered at over 2 dozen restaurants. With cuisines that encompass American, Italian, Spanish, Turkish, Japanese and Mexican (just to name a few), experience why our delicious community has been called, “The East Bay’s most popular dining destination.”
Mirandolina! Mistress of a Tuscan Inn:
Lesher Center for the Arts
1601 Civic Dr, Walnut Creek
Friday, April 3rd, 2015 – Saturday, May 2nd, 2015Tough, sexy and audacious Mirandolina is the mistress of a Tuscan inn whose guests include a Count who bought his title, a Marchese who has nothing but his title, and a Cavaliere who is determined to scorn all women. Armed with wit and wiles, Mirandolina sets out to teach her guests some lessons in love and finance, while hanging onto the handsome Fabrizio as both her fiancé and employee! Will true love prevail? Will Mirandolina “lean in” and get it all? A rapturous and sharply hilarious 18th Century battle-of-the-sexes comedic caper about a woman trying to run a business in a man’s world, in a fresh new World Premiere adaptation by the director of the REP hits Noises Off, Sweet Charity and Rumors.
Lafayette Juniors 16th Annual Kitchen Tour for Charity:
Lafayette
Saturday, May 16th, 2015
10:00am – 3:00pm | $40Tickets are on sale now for the Lafayette Juniors 16th Annual Kitchen Tour. This self-guided tour will be held on Saturday, May 16th from 10am to 3pm and will feature six special Lafayette homes with beautifully designed classic, traditional, contemporary, transitional, and modern cottage kitchens, and a mid-century modern kitchen recently featured in Houzz “Kitchen of the Week.” Attendees will receive a Kitchen Tour program detailing all the special design elements of the kitchens as well as information on the architects, designers and contractors who created these spaces.
Proceeds from this year’s event benefit the work of five local non-profit organizations: Ruby’s Place, Boys & Girls Club of Diablo Valley, Las Trampas, Trinity Center Walnut Creek, and VESTIA. These organizations were selected by the Lafayette Juniors for the support they provide to children, families and seniors in need in Contra Costa and neighboring East Bay counties.
“In preparation for our 16th annual Kitchen Tour, I am reminded of what’s possible when we come together to raise funds for charity,” said Laura Lashinsky, President of the Lafayette Juniors. “We would like to thank everyone who is helping to make this year’s Kitchen Tour possible, from our sponsors and donors, to our generous homeowners who are opening their homes to us all. We are lucky to have a home on this year’s Tour that was featured in Houzz ‘Kitchen of the Week.’” To see a sneak peak of this kitchen, visit http://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/28547920/list/kitchen-of-the-week-modern-update-for-a-midcentury-gem
Tickets are $40 ($35 tax deductible), with a box lunch available for $15. Tickets can be purchased online at www.lafayettejuniors.org and are also available at Premier Kitchens in Lafayette.
Walnut Creek First Wednesdays:
Cypress St, Walnut Creek
Wednesday, April 1st, 2015
5:00pm – 8:00pm | FreeLast Minute Band – 10 piece classic R&B band
*Visit with the Easter Bunny
*Portraits by a Caricature Artist
*Clay Arts Education demonstrations
*Participate in painting a community
masterpiece with Canvas & CabernetFood Trucks:
Grab & Go Kabob
Tonli Dumpling
Tacos de los Altos
Kara’s Cupcakes
Lafayette Library Amphitheatre
Saturday, April 11th, 2015
10:00am – 1:00pm | FreeLove dogs? Don’t miss Lafayette Dogtown Downtown. Dogs invited. Parade starts at 10am. Registration begins at 9am at the Library Amphitheatre, located at First St. and Golden Gate Way. Click HERE to register for this event.
Long considered a pet friendly town, Lafayette is giving top billing to its canine community for its second annual Dogtown Downtown event, scheduled for Saturday, April 11, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. This is an event about – and for – dogs and dog lovers.
Designed to be a fun and festive canine-focused event, Lafayette Dogtown Downtown includes outdoor demonstrations, fun dog competitions, and other activities for dog lovers of all ages. Pet adoptions will be available and animal rescue group representatives will be on hand, as well as other dog-related vendors.
Admission and related activities, including the presentations, are free.
Photo by Flickr user Tarantuland
Baby Tarantula & Wildflower Hike:
Mitchell Canyon Visitor
Mount Diablo State Park
Saturday, April 4th, 2015
3:00pm – 5:00pm | $15Explore the habitat of local tarantulas along the north face of Mount Diablo with Jim Holmes, an experienced naturalist. Spring is the time for newly hatched baby tarantulas to emerge from their burrows. Additionally, experience the vast array of wild flowers in bloom. Hikes start from Mitchell Canyon Visitor’s Center at Mount Diablo State Park and cover a distance of 2 miles. Hiking shoes and bottled water are highly recommended. Additional costs: $6 for parking at the Visitor’s Center. Map and directions will be sent after registration completed.
Lafayette Library and Learning Center
3491 Mt. Diablo Blvd, Lafayette
Wednesday, April 1st, 2015
6:30pm – 8:00pm | $5Evie Michon will teach us the folk art of Pysanky, Ukrainian Egg decorating. Each person will get to dye and decorate an egg. All Ages / Families Welcome!
Photo by Flickr user manjithkaini
Master Gardeners’ Annual Tomato Plant Sale:
Contra Costa Master Gardeners Garden
N. Wiget Lane and Shadelands Drive,Walnut Creek
Saturday, April 4th, 2015
10:00am – 3:00pm | FreeThousands of unique heirloom tomato plants available for purchase! There are more than 58 proven varieties, many unavailable at local nurseries. Seedlings have been propagated by Master Gardeners using open-pollinated, non-GMO seeds. Also, there will be a wonderful selection of artichokes, eggplants, sweet and chili peppers, and tomatillos ready to be planted in your garden.
Experts will be on hand to provide advice about plant selection, site location and preparation, planting, fertilizing, pruning, and harvesting. Avid gardeners can get specific questions answered and learn about strategies to minimize plant disease and maximize production.
Our own veggie guru, Janet Miller, will be giving two talks at the Our Garden sale in Walnut Creek, on April 4 at 11:00 and 12:30 on Growing Tomatoes and other Summer Vegetables.
BYOB (boxes) or better yet, wagon! Tomato plants $3.00 each. Cash or check only, please.
Visit us online to see a list of all available plants, at: http://ccmg.ucanr.edu/EdibleGardening/GreatTomatoPlantSale/The plant sale is happening in two different locations.
Elizabeth Barrett and Robert Browning Request the Pleasure of your Company:
Swan’s Fine Books
1381 Locust St, Walnut Creek
Thursday, March 26th, 2015
7:30pm | FreeRoberto Palumbo, playwright and Professor Emerita (Holy Names University), will present the story of the secret courtship of young, robust Robert Browning and older, frail Elizabeth Barrett, including several of Elizabeth’s famous sonnets: from her desire for death to her acceptance of life with Robert – certainly a story of “love gone good.”
Seating will be limited, so please RSVP to hold a space. There is no charge to attend and light refreshments will be served.
The Terrible Two are coming! Yes, it’s Mac Barnett & Jory John!!:
Lafayette Library and Learning Center
3491 Mt Diablo Blvd, Lafayette
Thursday, March 26th, 2015
3:30pm – 5:00pm | FreeMac Barnett is back and he’s bringing his friend Jory John with him! Don’t miss this special opportunity to meet the terrific team behind the New York Times bestselling The Terrible Two.
The Storyteller Bookstore will have copies of the book available for purchase and signing. Be prepared to laugh yourself silly!